HUNTSVILLE, TX ? Brittany Brooks scored on a layup with 1:29 to play to put Sam Houston up by one, then added a second layup 28 seconds later to give the Bearkats a three-point lead as the Kat women defeated Stephen F. Austin 68-65 in both team's Southland Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Johnson Coliseum.
Down 52-38 with 12:54 to play, Sam Houston outscored the Lumberjacks 30-13 the rest of the game to end a 22-game Southland Conference losing streak. The Bearkat women last won a conference game over Northwestern State in 2006.
The victory also was Sam Houston's first over SFA since 2005.
Whitney Smith, who hit two free throws with 18 seconds remaining to keep Sam Houston up by three, led the Bearkats with 15 points. Leasa Ailshie scored 13 points, Brittany Brooks had 12 and Britni Martin added 10.
Whitney Cormier led SFA with 16 points. Jordan Ford added 14.
Sam Houston upped its season record to 4-10 and owns a two-game winning streak. Stephen F. Austin dropped its fourth game in a row, falling to 5-8.
“I couldn't be prouder of our team,” SHSU head coach Brenda Nichols said. “They left it all on the floor. We really did a good job of keeping up the pressure. For a team so young, they play with confidence. Down 14 with 13 to play, they never quit believing. It was a team effort.”
Sam Houston jumped out to a six point lead, 10-4, to open the game. The contest was tied five times in the first half before Stephen F. Austin went on a 10-2 run to go ahead 38-30 at intermission.
The Lumberjacks continued their hot streak out-scoring Sam Houston 14-8 in the first eight minutes of the second half.
Martin started a 21-8 Bearkat run with a three-point basket at 9:18. The Kats tied the game 61-61 on free throws by Therese Hager.
Sam Houston State's next action is a road matchup at Southeastern Louisiana Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Box Score
SAM HOUSTON ST 68, STEPHEN F AUSTIN 65
01-10-09 2:05 pm at Huntsville, TX (Johnson Coliseum)
STEPHEN F AUSTIN (5-8, SLC 0-1)
Cormier, Whitney 7-17 2-3 16; Ford, Jordan 6-15 2-4 14; Marion, Tammara 2-7
3-4 8; Green, Natashia 3-6 0-0 7; Drennan, Chantol 2-6 2-2 6; Alexander,
Ebony 2-10 0-0 5; Davis, Antoinette 1-4 2-2 4; Sawyer, Amina 1-5 1-2 3;
Smith, Cambria 1-2 0-0 2; Sampson, Schera 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 25-72 12-18 65.
SAM HOUSTON ST (4-10, SLC 1-0)
Smith, Whitney 5-8 5-5 15; Ailshie, Leasa 4-10 2-2 13; Brooks, Brittany 5-14
1-2 12; Martin, Britni 3-10 2-3 10; Alexander, Ray 3-8 1-2 7; Hager, Therese
2-7 2-4 6; Agnew, Bre 1-4 0-0 3; Livingston, Lucy 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-63
13-18 68.
Stephen F Austin.............. 38 27 - 65
Sam Houston St................ 30 38 - 68
3-point goals--Stephen F Austin 3-15 (Marion, Tammara 1-5; Alexander, Ebony
1-6; Green, Natashia 1-3; Cormier, Whitney 0-1), Sam Houston St 7-18
(Ailshie, Leasa 3-7; Martin, Britni 2-5; Agnew, Bre 1-1; Brooks, Brittany
1-4; Alexander, Ray 0-1). Fouled out--Stephen F Austin-None, Sam Houston
St-None. Rebounds--Stephen F Austin 49 (Cormier, Whitney 13), Sam Houston St
45 (Agnew, Bre 10). Assists--Stephen F Austin 22 (Smith, Cambria 5), Sam
Houston St 21 (Brooks, Brittany 5). Total fouls--Stephen F Austin 20, Sam
Houston St 16. Technical fouls--Stephen F Austin-None, Sam Houston St-None.
A-368
VICTORY ENDS 22-GAME SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE LOSING STREAK FOR BEARKATS
